We continue our guide to Mongolia visa and work permits. In this article we shall cover work permit visas (HG visa). (Don’t forget to also check out Part I and Part II)
Work permit visas (HG visa) are issued to foreign citizens, who work in Mongolia under labor contract. HG visas are valid for up to 1 year, depending on employer’s request. Holders of these visas are required to obtain residence card from Immigration Agency and work permit from Labor and Welfare General Agency.
There are several key considerations that employer should be aware of. A key influence is that a foreign employee quota is set by the Government of Mongolia every year for local and foreign companies in Mongolia. This usually ranges from 5% to 80% depending on the sector in question. Generally, however, the default quota for companies is 5%. Another key condition is that employer must pay a workplace fee. Employer must pay on monthly basis a workplace fee, equal to twice the minimum wage set by the Government, for every foreign employee they hired.
So, if you, an employer, have decided to hire a foreign employee then as usual you must first provide a visa invitation letter for your foreign employee. Firstly, employer must obtain a work permit letter from Labor and Welfare General Agency at least one month prior to employee’s arrival to Mongolia. Thereafter a request must be submitted along with required packet of documents (including a work permit letter) to the Immigration Agency. Once Immigration Agency permits to issue a visa, then a visa invitation letter must be forwarded to the embassy or consulate in foreign employee’s country of residence, where he/she applies for HG visa. HG visas are valid for 183 days upon their issuance until the entry into Mongolia.
Upon arrival of foreign employee to Mongolia, employer must register him/her with the Immigration Agency within 7 days, obtain a residence card within 21 days and obtain work permit within 10 business days.
If necessary employer may apply for a single exit-entry, two-time exit-entry or multiple exit-entry visas (valid for either six months or one year) depending on employee’s or employer’s needs. HG visas may be renewed.
Also, there are other visa options for those who seek to engage in other types of activities, such as employment in NGOs, religious organizations and other. Therefore, companies inviting foreigners should carefully choose what visa suit their purpose before applying for visa.